We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Nate Hemphill.
Bible Reading:
Matthew 14:13“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.”
Word:
If you’ve studied the life of Jesus at all you’ll see several instances where Jesus drew away from crowds to be alone with God in prayer. Why did Jesus constantly do this? It’s not like there wasn’t a constant need for ministry and miracles. When Christ’s fame was at its peak people flocked to him wherever he went; not because of great charm or charisma but because of his compassion for a world in need of Him. There was no shortage of work to do and his twelve disciples had a front row seat for most of it – he was preparing them to continue the mission after his departure.
If Jesus placed such a high priority on finding solitude to be alone with God, that probably means we need to do the same. I know what you are thinking… “my days are non-stop from wake up to bed time. I can barely get alone time in my own home!” Trust me, I get it.
We type- A folks look for every bit of squeeze that we can find to “optimize” our lives. But allow me to drop some knowledge on you – if you can’t find solitude to be alone with God, you are living at less than your best. It’s on par with training in the gym with no hands! Have you ever tried to do a burpee with your hands behind your back? It is a rather comical exercise in futility.
It is in the places of solitude, when everything else is shut out that your spirit can really hear from God. If you’ll look closely enough at your day, there are opportunities for quiet conversations with the Lord everywhere. I look forward to my quiet 15 minute morning drive to the box every day. Early in the morning with no one vying for my attention, I spill my heart out to God – talking to him about every significant thing going on in my life. By the time I arrive to the box, I’m ready to go – knowing that God is at work even when I am unaware. Give it a try. I promise it’s worth the effort.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus I want to follow your example to pull away from my busyness to be alone with you. I know that there are things that we need to talk about – things that I need to hear from you. Thank you for loving me so much that you too desire my time and undivided attention. In Jesus’ name, amen!
Skillwork:
Where is your place of solitude and quiet? Designate that time and place as you and God’s special spot. Make it a priority to get there every day and block out all distractions for that time.
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